Anti emf radiation protective housing

ABSTRACT

A protective housing for shielding an individual against electro-magnetic field (EMF) radiation includes a conductive mesh configured to be suspended from an elevated position, a conductive plane at a base of the protective housing and configured to be a grounding plane for the protective housing, the conductive plane and conductive mesh being configured to shield an interior space, defined by the conductive plane and conductive mesh when suspended, against EMF radiation, and a cable coupled to a circumference of the conductive mesh and configured to weigh down the conductive mesh and to electrically couple the conductive mesh to the conductive plane.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/370,490 (“ANTI EMF RADIATION PROTECTIVE HOUSING”), filed on Mar. 29,2019, which claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/650,836 (“ANTI-EMF RADIATION PROTECTIVE HOUSING”),filed on Mar. 30, 2018, the entire content of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of protective housings forshielding bodies from radiation.

BACKGROUND

In today's modern world, people are constantly exposed toelectromagnetic field (EMF) radiation, which is typically emitted fromelectric power lines, cell phone base stations, wireless electronicdevices such as cell phones and wifi-base stations, appliances such asmicrowave machines, etc. Recent studies on the effect of radiation onbiological tissue have found that EMF radiation can penetrate infantsand toddlers at a significantly higher magnitude than adults, due to theadolescent and immature bone density of young children, specifically inthe skull region. While the scientific community has yet to come to aconclusive opinion on the potentially harmful effects of long termexposure to electromagnetic field radiation, there are a plethora ofstudies indicating that the potential for harm is something that cannotbe ignored and should be researched further. Accordingly, many areconcerned about the potential harmful effects that EMF exposure may haveon their infants and toddlers, especially while the infant or toddler issleeping.

What is desired is a device that reduces or minimizes the potentialrisks of EMF radiation to the vulnerable state of infants and toddlers,for those who deem the risk to be of substance.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is only forenhancement of understanding of the invention, and therefore it maycontain information that does not form the prior art that is alreadyknown to a person of ordinary skill in the art

SUMMARY

Aspects of some embodiments of the present invention are directed towardan apparatus for cancelling, or substantially reducing the intensity of,incoming electromagnetic field radiation emitted from an external sourcesuch as a cell phone, a wifi device, power lines, industrial complexes,etc. In some embodiments, the apparatus is mountable on a crib/basinetas an accessory that my shield the crib from said electromagnetic fieldradiation.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, there isprovided a protective housing for shielding an individual againstelectro-magnetic field (EMF) radiation, the protective housingincluding: a conductive mesh configured to be suspended from an elevatedposition; a conductive plane at a base of the protective housing andconfigured to be a grounding plane for the protective housing, theconductive plane and conductive mesh being configured to shield aninterior space, defined by the conductive plane and conductive mesh whensuspended, against EMF radiation; and a cable coupled to a circumferenceof the conductive mesh and configured to weigh down the conductive meshand to electrically couple the conductive mesh to the conductive plane.

In some embodiments, the conductive mesh includes: a first conductivelayer; and a second conductive layer overlapping with a portion of thefirst conductive layer, wherein the first conductive layer has a smallermesh size and greater conductivity than the second conductive layer.

In some embodiments, the conductive mesh has a mesh size configured topermit the conductive mesh to be flexible to drape around an objectplaced within the interior space and to be breathable and see-through.

In some embodiments, the conductive mesh includes: a flexible andbreathable fabric having an electrically-conductive coating, theflexible and breathable fabric including at least one of a polyamide, apolyester, cotton, polyethylene, and polypropylene, and theelectrically-conductive coating includes at least one of silver (Ag),gold (Au), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe),manganese (Mn), tin (Sn), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), platinum (Pt),nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), barium (Ba), indium (In), palladium (Pd),bismuth (Bi), niobium (Nb), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), vanadium (V),mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cb).

In some embodiments, the conductive mesh has a slit formed by a firstedge and a second edge of the conductive mesh, the slit providing anopening to the interior space when the conductive mesh is suspended, thefirst and second edges being configured to be coupled together to closethe opening.

In some embodiments, each of the first and second edges of the slitincludes a plurality of magnets positioned along a corresponding one ofthe first and second edges, the plurality of magnets including analternating pattern of shorter and stronger magnets and longer andweaker magnets.

In some embodiments, each one of the plurality of magnets being attachedto the conductive mesh by being secured within sown slots along acorresponding one of the first and second edges.

In some embodiments, the cable includes: an electrically-conductiveweighted rope.

In some embodiments, the cable includes: a plurality of conductivesegments positioned within corresponding slots along a circumferentialedge of the conductive mesh.

In some embodiments, the cable includes: a plurality of magneticsegments positioned within corresponding slots along a circumferentialedge of the conductive mesh.

In some embodiments, the protective housing further includes: asuspender configured to suspend the conductive mesh from the elevatedposition, the suspender including a ring affixed to an end of theconductive mesh and an eyelet configured to be coupled to the ring andto the elevated position.

In some embodiments, the protective housing further includes: a framecoupled to the conductive mesh and configured to define a shape ofconductive mesh.

In some embodiments, the frame has a circular shape, an oval shape, arectangular shape, a trapezoidal shape, or a pentagonal shape.

In some embodiments, the frame includes: a central body configured to becoupled to the conductive mesh; a plurality of support members rotatablycoupled to and extending away from the central body; and a plurality ofsecuring members coupled to corresponding ones of the plurality ofsupport members and configured to securely couple the frame to an objectwithin the interior space.

In some embodiments, the central body is configured to be coupled to theconductive mesh, and the conductive mesh is configured to drape over theplurality of support members.

In some embodiments, each of the plurality of securing members includes:a main body having opposing lips protruding away from the main body andconfigured to surround a side of the object; and a fastening mechanismhaving a flat head configured to move between the opposing lips andhaving an adjustable head configured to adjust a position of the flathead between the opposing lips, wherein the securing member isconfigured to become fixedly coupled to the side of the object inresponse to an adjustment of the adjustable head, via a rotating tool,to clamp the side of the object between the lip of the opposing lips andthe flat head.

In some embodiments, each of the plurality of securing members furtherincludes: a sleeve portion configured to encompass and couple to an endof a corresponding one of the plurality of supporting members, thesleeve portion being coupled to the main body via one or more screws.

In some embodiments, each of the plurality of securing members includes:a clamp body; an overhanging telescopic hook extending from the clampbody and configured to engage a horizontal beam of the object; and apair of resilient arms extending laterally from opposing sides of theclamp body and configured to engage vertical bars of the object.

In some embodiments, each of the pair of resilient arms has a protrusionextending from a corresponding resilient arm of pair of resilient armsin a direction orthogonal to an extension direction of the correspondingresilient arm, and the pair of resilient arms are configured to engagethe vertical bars of the object by apply opposing lateral forces againstthe vertical bars via the protrusions.

In some embodiments, the central body includes: a sensing deviceconfigured to monitor the interior space of the protective housing andto be in wireless communication with a remote device external to theprotective housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, together with the specification, illustrateexemplary embodiments of the present invention, and, together with thedescription, serve to explain aspects of embodiments of the presentinvention. In the drawings, like reference numerals are used throughoutthe figures to reference like features and components. The figures arenot necessarily drawn to scale. The above and other features and aspectsof the present invention will become more apparent from the followingdetailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof with referenceto the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an EMF protection system,according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a top portion of the EMF protection system withinregion A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the EMF protection system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of the conductive mesh when laid outflat, according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 5A illustrates a front view of the EMF protection system showing aslit defining an opening according to some exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5B illustrates a closer view of the region B of FIG. 5A, accordingto some exemplary embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate a cable of the EMF protection system according tovarious exemplary embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 7A illustrates a perspective view of an EMF protection system,according to some other exemplary embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 7B illustrates a top view of the EMF protection system of FIG. 7A;

FIG. 7C illustrates a closer view of the region C of FIG. 7B;

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of an EMF protection system,according to still other exemplary embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of the frame of the EMF protectionsystem of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10A illustrates a perspective view of the securing member,according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 10B illustrates an exploded perspective view of the securing memberof FIG. 10A;

FIG. 11A illustrates a perspective view of the securing member firmlysecured to an object, according to some other exemplary embodiments ofthe present invention;

FIG. 11B illustrates a perspective view of a front of the securingmember of FIG. 11A;

FIG. 11C illustrates a perspective view of a back of the securing memberof FIG. 11A;

FIG. 11D illustrates a cross-sectional view of the internal mechanism ofthe securing member of FIG. 11A, according to some exemplary embodimentsof the present invention;

FIG. 11E illustrates a locking mechanism of the securing member,according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 11F illustrates the telescopic adjustability of the overhanginghook of the securing member of FIG. 11A, according to some exemplaryembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 12A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the internal structure ofthe central hub, according to some embodiments of the present invention;and

FIG. 12B illustrates an exploded perspective view of the central hub ofFIG. 12A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description ofexample embodiments of a system and method for defect detection,provided in accordance with the present invention, and is not intendedto represent the only forms in which the present invention may beconstructed or utilized. The description sets forth the features of thepresent invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It isto be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions andstructures may be accomplished by different embodiments that are alsointended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.As denoted elsewhere herein, like element numbers are intended toindicate like elements or features.

Aspects of some embodiments of the present invention are directed to auniversal anti electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation protective system(also referred to as an EMF protection system or protective housing) forencompassing and protecting an individual (e.g., an infant) inside theEMF protective system from external EMF radiation. In some embodiments,the EMF protection system utilizes a conductive fabric coupled to agrounding plane (e.g., grounding sheet or plate) to shield its interiorspace from external EMF radiation. In some examples, the encompassedentity may be a toddler, and infant, or an adolescent child.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an EMF protection system 100,according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2illustrates a top portion of the EMF protection system 100 within regionA of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the EMF protection system100 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, the EMF protection system (e.g., protectivehousing) 100 includes a conductive mesh (e.g., a conductive fabric or ananti-EMF fabric) 110 for encompassing an object 10, a suspender 120 forsupporting/suspending the conductive mesh 110 above the object 10 froman elevated position, a frame (e.g., an overhead structural frame) 130for giving shape to the conductive fabric and defining an interiorvolume of the conductive mesh 110, a conductive plane (e.g., aconductive/grounding sheet or plate) 140 at the base of the EMFprotection system 100 and configured to act as a grounding plane for EMFprotection system 100, and a coupler configured to electrically couplethe conductive mesh 110 to the conductive plane 140. According to someexamples, an object (e.g., a crib or a bassinet) may be placed on top ofthe conductive plane 140 and within the interior space of the conductivemesh 110. In some embodiments, when suspended (e.g., hung from theceiling), the conductive mesh 110, the frame 130, and the suspender 120together form a canopy 150. The EMF protection system 100 furtherincludes a cable (e.g., a conductive cable) 160 coupled to acircumference of the conductive mesh 110 and configured to both weighdown the conductive mesh 110 to provide suitable draping and toelectrically connect the conductive mesh 110 to the grounding plane ofthe conductive plane 140.

The conductive mesh 110 is designed based on the principals of a faradaycage. According to some embodiments, the conductive mesh 110 includesone or more layers of a fine metal mesh or metallic fabric that areflexible, breathable, and at least partially see-through. The conductiveouter surface that the conductive mesh 110 creates an electrically polarcharge on either side of the conductive mesh 110 where, for example, oneside of the outer surface is positively charged while the other side isnegatively charged. This creates a net neutral electrical environmentwithin the confines of the conductive mesh 110, thus effectivelyshielding the interior of the faraday cage from electro-magnetic fieldsignals. In some examples, the EMF protection system 100 mayeliminate/cancel incoming EMF signals of about −120 dBm to about −30 dBm(e.g., about −120 dBm to about −50 dBm) in signal strength. Thisreduction in incoming EMF signals may be sufficient to prevent an offthe shelf cell phone from receiving or transmitting phone calls whenencompassed by the EMF protection system 100.

In addition to being conductive, it is desirable for the conductive mesh110 to exhibit flexibility, breathability and (at least partial)transparency. For example, flexibility of the conductive mesh 110 allowsit to take any suitable shape and to effectively contour/drape acrossthe object 10. Breathability of the conductive fabric is desired formaintaining adequate air flow through the conductive mesh 110 and formaintaining a suitable temperature (e.g., a temperature substantiallythe same as the exterior ambient temperature) within the confines of theEMF protection system 100. Further, it may be desirable for theconductive mesh 110 to be at least partially transparent to allow anoutside observer (e.g., a parent) to easily monitor the individual(e.g., the child) placed within the EMF protection system 100.

In some embodiments, the conductive mesh 110 includes a fabric having anelectrically-conductive coating or a weave of conductive threads. Insome examples, the base fabric material may include polyam ides (e.g.,Nylon 6 or Nylon 66), polyethylene terephthalate (PET, also referred toas polyester), cotton, polyethylene, polypropylene, a combinationthereof, and/or the like. The fabric may be coated with, or haveconductive threads including, an electrically conductive materialincluding silver (Ag), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), chromium(Cr), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), tin (Sn), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W),platinum (Pt), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), barium (Ba), indium (In),palladium (Pd), bismuth (Bi), niobium (Nb), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn),vanadium (V), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cb), and/or the like.

In some examples, the conductive fabric may have a mesh density of about8 mesh/cm to about 47 mesh/cm. In some examples, the conductive mesh 110may have a mesh size (e.g., opening size) of about 0.5 mm. The fabricthickness may be about 0.005 inches to about 0.009 inches (e.g. about0.007 inches). The fabric may have a weight that is about 20 g/m̂2 toabout 34 g/m̂2, and exhibit an electrical resistivity of about 0.7 ohm/cmto about 8 ohm/cm. As will be understood by a person of ordinary skillin the art, the values provided above are merely for illustrativepurposes, and the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, thethickness, mesh size, material of the conductive mesh 110 may besuitably varied to balance electrical conductivity against flexibility,breathability, and visibility. For example, while increasing the fabricthickness and reducing the mesh size may reduce the resistivity of theconductive mesh 110 even further, thus yielding even greater EMFprotection, it may also reduce its flexibility, breathability, andtransparency, which may be undesirable in some applications.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, the EMF protection system100 utilizes an overhead canopy design that may be suspended from anelevated position (e.g., hung from the ceiling or attached to a wallmount) via the suspender 120. In some examples, the suspender 120 mayinclude an eyelet (or hook or any suitable securing mechanism) 122coupled to a ring 124 that is affixed to an end (e.g., a canopy tip) ofthe conductive mesh 110.

According to some embodiments, the shape (e.g., the conical shape) ofthe flexible conductive mesh 110 is maintained by a frame (e.g., astructural frame) 130 that is vertically offset from the suspender 120when suspended and positioned near the top of the canopy 150. In someembodiments, the frame 130 may be secured to conductive mesh the viaties located inside the canopy 150 that allow the ring to be removed foreasy folding, transport, or storage. However, embodiments of the presentinvention are not limited thereto, and the frame 130 may be secured viaany suitable securing mechanism. For examples, the frame 130 may be sownor adhered to the conductive mesh 110. In some embodiments, the frame130 is ring shaped which allows the canopy 150 formed by the conductivemesh 110 to have a conical shape. However, embodiments of the presentinvention are not limited thereto, and the frame 130 may have anysuitable shape, such as an oval, a rectangle, a trapezoid, a pentagon,and/or the like.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of the conductive mesh 110 when laidout flat, according to some exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention.

According to some embodiments, in order to produce a canonical canopy150, the conductive mesh 110 is cut into a half circle shape with itsstraight edges 116 an 118 being brought together to form a slit 170 thatdefines an opening to the interior of the EMF protection system 100,when suspended.

In some embodiments, the conductive mesh includes a first conductivelayer (e.g., a base fabric) 112 and a second conductive layer (e.g., asupplemental fabric) 114 partially overlapping the first conductivelayer 112, which serves to increase the electrical conductivity of theconductive mesh 110 and hence improve (e.g. increase) the EMF shieldingof the EMF protection system 100. According to some embodiments, thefirst conductive layer 112 has a smaller mesh size and greaterconductivity (e.g., higher silver content) than the second conductivelayer 114.

In some examples, the second conductive layer 14 may have asubstantially half-ring shape (e.g., a half annulus shape) that overlapswith (e.g., covers) the bottom portion of canopy 150. The secondconductive layer 114 may be affixed to (e.g., sown onto and/or adheredto) the first conductive layer 112. By covering the bottom portion ofthe canopy 150, according to some examples, the second conductive layer114 improves the EMF shielding effect near the area in which the infantor toddler may be resting, without meaningfully affecting thebreathability and transparency of the canopy 150. However, embodimentsof the present invention are not limited thereto, and the secondconductive layer 114 may overlap with the first conductive layer 112 upto a mid-point of the canopy 150 or even near the top of the canopy,depending on the application of the canopy 150.

In some examples, the first conductive layer 112 of the conductive mesh110 may have a radius R1 of about 80 inches to about 130 inches (e.g.,about 103.5 inches), and the second conductive layer 114 of theconductive mesh 110 may have a radial width D of about 30 inches toabout 60 inches (e.g., about 48 inches).

FIG. 5A illustrates a front view of the EMF protection system 100showing the slit 170 defining an opening according to some exemplaryembodiments of the present invention. FIG. 5B illustrates a closer viewof the region B of FIG. 5A, according to some exemplary embodiments ofthe present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 5A-5B, the edges 116 and 118 of the conductive mesh110 form an slit 170, when separated, that can provide access to theinterior of the canopy 150. The edges 116 and 118 may also be coupledtogether (e.g., fastened together) via a suitable means to close theslit 170 (and hence close the opening) and enable proper shielding ofEMF radiation. According to some embodiments, each of the edges 116 and118 includes (e.g., has fastened to it) a plurality of magnets 119 thatare lined along the corresponding edges 116/118. The magnets 119 may bebrought together to ensure a close and tight connection between theedges 116 and 118 when the opening is close. Further, as the magnets 119along the edge 116 are naturally drawn to the magnets 119 along the edge118, they facilitate the self-closing of the slit 170.

In some embodiments, the magnets 119 along each of the edges 116 and 118represent an alternating pattern of magnets (e.g., rare earth magnets)including shorter and stronger magnets 119 a and longer and weakermagnets 119 b. The pattern of magnets 119 at either side of the slit 170(along the edges 116 and 118) may be mirrors of one another. Thealternating pattern of magnets 119 may allow for optimal alignment ofthe edges 116 and 118 and ensure proper closure of the opening. In someexamples, the long magnets (e.g., longer magnets) 119 b are intended todo the alignment as their longer body provides more contact area thatcan be used to line up the edges 116 and 118. The short magnets (e.g.,shorter magnets) 119 a may be more powerful magnets than the longmagnets 119 b, and thus ensure that the connection between both edges116 and 118 has adequate force to maintain closure. In some examples,the long magnets 119 b may have the same strength as the short magnets119 a; however, this may lead to higher costs. In some examples, theshort magnets 119 a may be about 1 inch in length and the long magnets119 b may be about 2 inches to about 3 inches in length. The magnets 119may be attached to the fabric by being secured within sown slots alongthe edges 116 and 118. However, embodiments of the present invention arenot limited thereto, and the magnets 119 may be secured to theconductive mesh using any other suitable mechanism, such as an adhesiveand/or the like. Further, in some examples, the magnets 119 may bereplaced with conductive velcro or a metallic zipper that can seal theopening at the slit 170.

FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate the cable 160 according to various exemplaryembodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6A-6B, in some embodiments, the cable (e.g.,conductive cable) 160 is attached to the circumferential edge 113 of theconductive mesh 110 and is configured to be flexible and malleable toaccommodate for the draping of the conductive mesh 110. The cable 160may span the entire circumference of the conductive mesh 110. The cable160 serves to not only weigh down the conductive mesh 110 to ensure aproper drape but also ensures proper contact with the conductive plane(e.g., grounding sheet) 140. In some embodiments, the cable may be madeof electrically conductive material.

According to some embodiment, the cable 160 includes anelectrically-conductive weighted rope (see, e.g., the cable 160-1 ofFIG. 6A). In some examples, the weighted rope may be about ⅛ inches. Insome other embodiments, the cable 160 includes a plurality of conductivesegments (e.g., segmented metallic balls) 162 that may be attached to(e.g., affixed to or sown to) the circumferential edge 113 of theconductive mesh 110 (see, e.g., the cable 160-2 of FIG. 6B). Theconductive (e.g., metallic) segments 162 may be located inside sownslots or pockets 164 at the edge 113 of the conductive mesh 110. In someexamples, at least some of the conductive segments 162 may be replacedwith magnetic segments (e.g., magnets) that magnetically couple theconductive mesh 110 to the conductive plane 140.

According to some embodiments, the conductive plane 140 includes highlyelectrically-conductive material, such as aluminum, copper, iron, and/orthe like, to ensure adequate electrical grounding. In some examples, theconductive plane 140 has a sheet resistance of less than 1 ohm/sq meter.

FIG. 7A illustrates a perspective view of an EMF protection system100-1, according to some other exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention. FIG. 7B illustrates a top view of the EMF protection system100-1 of FIG. 7A. FIG. 7C illustrates a closer view of the region C ofFIG. 7B.

Referring to FIGS. 7A-7B, the EMF protection system (e.g., protectivehousing) 100-1 may be substantially the same as the EMF protectionsystem 100 of FIG. 1, except that the conical canopy design 150 has beenreplaced with a prismatic canopy design 150-1. According to someembodiments, the frame (e.g., the rigid structural frame) 130-1 has arectangular shape, which gives the conductive mesh 110 a prismaticshape.

According to some embodiments, rather than have the suspender becentrally positioned relative to the frame (as, e.g., is the case with,the EMF protection system 100 of FIGS. 1-3, the suspender 120 is mountedat or near an edge of the frame 130-1, which prevents or substantiallyprevents the conductive mesh 110 from sagging inwards and creates a flat(or substantially flat) vertical wall at the canopy entrance. Theprismatic canopy design may increase internal volume and improveaesthetics of the EMF protection system 100-1. Further, the flat orsubstantially flat front plane (or front fascia) of the EMF protectionsystem 100-1 may help to ensure that the slit 170 is completely closedwithout any breaks in the seal. For example, the flat or substantiallyflat front plane may help to ensure the proper alignment and connectionof the magnets 119 along the edges 116 and 118 of the slit 170, to forma complete (e.g., unbroken) seal at the entrance of the canopy 150.

In some examples, when suspended, the frontal face of the prismaticcanopy 1501-1 has a height H1 of about 72 inches to about 96 inches(e.g., about 84 inches), the back of the canopy 150-1 has a height H2 ofabout 36 inches to about 60 inches (e.g., about 48 inches), the depth Dof the canopy 150-1 is about 38 inches to about 62 inches (e.g., about50 inches), and the length L of the angular side of the canopy 150-1 isabout 60 inches to about 84 inches (e.g., about 72 inches).

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of an EMF protection system 200,according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 9illustrates a perspective view of the frame 230 of the EMF protectionsystem 200 of FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 8, the EMF protection system 200 utilizes the same orsubstantially the same conductive mesh 110, cable 160, conductive plane140, and slit 170 of the EMF protection system 200. However, in the EMFprotection system 200, the frame (e.g., the flexible frame or themalleable structural frame) 230 allows the conductive mesh 110 over theobject 10 without being suspended from an elevated position. In someembodiments, the frame 230 acts as a malleable multi-legged stand thatsupports the conductive mesh 110 and defines the shape and the interiorvolume of the canopy 250 of the EMF protection system 200.

Referring to FIG. 9, according to some embodiments, the frame 230includes a central body 232, a plurality of support members 234 (e.g., aplurality of malleable legs) coupled to and extending away from thecentral body (e.g., a central hub) 232, and a plurality of securingmembers (e.g., clips) 236 coupled to (e.g., fixedly coupled to) the endsof the corresponding support members 234. The securing members 236 areconfigured to couple (e.g., securely connect) the frame 230 to theobject 10 (e.g., to the sides of the crib). In some examples, thesecuring member 236 may be a universal clip. According to some examples,the support member 234 may be made of a flexible/malleable materialincluding polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene, and or the like.

In some examples, the conductive mesh 110 may be secured to (e.g.,attached to) the central body 232 (e.g., via compressive force of twocomponents of the central body 232) and contour over the support members234. In some examples, the conductive mesh 110 may be kept in place by apiece of velcro that sticks to the opposing end of the velcro striplocated at the top of the central body 232.

FIG. 10A illustrates a perspective view of the securing member 236,according to some exemplary embodiments of the present invention. FIG.10A illustrates an exploded perspective view of the securing member 236of FIG. 10A.

Referring to FIGS. 10A-10B, the securing member 236 includes a main body240 having opposing lips 241 and 242 protruding away from the main body240 and configured to surround a side (e.g., a side frame/rail) of theobject (e.g., a crib) 10. The securing member 236 also includes afastening mechanism (e.g., a set screw) 244 having a flat head 245moveable between the opposing lips 241 and 242 and having an adjustablehead 246 for adjusting the position of the flat head 245 between theopposing lips 241 and 242. The securing member 236 may become fixedlycoupled to the object 10 by adjusting the adjustable head 246 (e.g., viaa rotating tool, such as a screw driver) to firmly clamp (e.g., clasp)the object (e.g., a side of the object) 10 between the lip 241 and theflat head 245. The securing member 236 further includes a sleeve portion248 for encompassing and coupling to an end of a correspondingsupporting member 234. The sleeve portion 248 may be coupled to the mainbody 240 via one or more screws 249. In some examples, the sleeve 248may be sufficiently tall such that when the supporting member 234 isinserted into the sleeve 248 and bent, the warping of the supportingmember 234 secures it in place inside the sleeve 248.

FIG. 11A illustrates a perspective view of the securing member 236-1firmly secured to an object 10, according to some other exemplaryembodiments of the present invention. FIG. 11B illustrates a perspectiveview of a front of the securing member 236-1 of FIG. 11A. FIG. 11Cillustrates a perspective view of a back of the securing member 236-1 ofFIG. 11A. FIG. 11D illustrates a cross-sectional view of the internalmechanism of the securing member 236-1 of FIG. 11A, according to someexemplary embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 11E illustrates alocking mechanism 274 of the securing member 236-1, according to someexemplary embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 11F illustrates thetelescopic adjustability of the overhanging hook 264 of the securingmember 236-1 of FIG. 11A, according to some exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention.

Referring to FIGS. 11A-11C, according to some embodiments, the securingmember (e.g., clamp) 236-1 includes a clamp body 260 (which may have anelongated neck portion 262) and an overhanging telescopic hook 264extending from the clamp body 260 (e.g., extending from the elongatedneck portion 262), and a pair of resilient arms (e.g., spring-loadedlateral arms) 266 and 268 extending laterally from opposing sides of theclamp body 260. In some embodiments, the overhanging telescopic hook 264is configured to engage (e.g., attach to) the top of a horizontal beam(e.g., side rail of a crib/basinet) 11 of the object 10, and theresilient arms 266 and 268 are configured to engage the vertical bars 12of the object 10 by apply opposing lateral forces against a pair of(e.g., an adjacent pair of) vertical bars 12 via a pair of protrusions(e.g., tabs) 270 and 272 protruding from the resilient arms 266 and 268.In some examples, the protrusions 270 and 272 may extend in a directionorthogonal to the extension direction of the resilient arms 266 and 268.

Referring to FIGS. 11A-11E, according to some embodiments, the securingmember 236-1 further includes a locking mechanism that locks the lateralposition of the resilient arms 266 and 268 and prevents the accidentalrelease or loosening of the securing member 236-1 (by, e.g., an infantor baby).

Referring to FIGS. 11D-11E, according to some embodiments, the clampbody 260 includes a resilient element (e.g., compressive element orspring), which may apply a lateral force against the pair of resilientarms 266 and 268 to push them apart, when in a compressed state. Each ofthe resilient arms 266 and 268 includes a first stopper 267 a/269 a thatextends inward toward the locking mechanism 274. The locking mechanism274 includes a stopper bar 276 that can be rotated by the rotatingaction of the knob 278. When in a locked state, the stopper bar 276 mayextend in the extension direction of the first stoppers 267 a and 269 aand prevent inward movement of the pair of resilient arms 266 and 268beyond a first set point. When in an unlocked state, the stopper bar 276may be at an angle relative to (e.g., orthogonal to) the extensiondirection of the first stoppers 267 a and 269 a and allow inwardmovement of the pair of resilient arms 266 and 268 beyond the first setpoint. In some embodiments, each of the resilient arms 266 and 268includes a second stopper (e.g., a max stopper) 267/269 b that extendsinward and limits the maximum inward travel distance of thecorresponding resilient arm 266/268.

Referring to FIGS. 11A and 11F, in some embodiments, the overhangingtelescopic hook 264 includes two pieces each having one or more holes280 that can be locked together using a pin 282. The combination of theholes 280 and pin 282 also allow the overhanging telescopic hook 264 tohave telescopic adjustability (e.g., to have an adjustable length).

FIG. 12A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the internal structure ofthe central body 232, according to some embodiments of the presentinvention. FIG. 12B illustrates an exploded perspective view of thecentral body 232 of FIG. 12A.

Referring to FIGS. 12A-12B, in some embodiments, the central body 232includes a housing 300 and a sensing device (e.g., a camera) 310 securedto (e.g., partially within) the housing 300 and configured to monitorthe interior of the canopy 250 (e.g., monitor an individual within thecanopy 250). The housing 300 includes a first portion 302, a secondportion 304 configured to accommodate (e.g., mate with) the firstportion 302, and a cap 306 positioned above the first and secondportions 302 and 304. In some embodiments, the first and second portions302 and 304 define therein a plurality of cavities that are configuredto accommodate the ends 235 of the plurality of support members 234 andto, thereby, couple the plurality of support members 234 to the centralbody 232. The ends 235 of each of the support members 234 may be a ballbearing joint that allow for adjustability and movement of the supportmember 234 in any direction.

An optical dome 312, which may act as transparent bottom cover for thehousing 300, may be affixed to the housing 300 via a ring 314 and aplurality of fasteners (e.g., screws) 316. The optical dome 312 maysecure the sensing device 310 within the housing while exposing (e.g.,visibly exposing) the interior of the canopy 250 for monitoring by thesensing device 310. In some embodiments, the central body 232 partiallypenetrates the canopy 250 through an opening in the conductive mesh 110.The central body 232 may be coupled to the conductive mesh 110 bysandwiching portions of the conductive mesh 110 that are near theopening between the cap 306 and the first portion 302. Thus, while thefirst and second portions 302 and 304 may be positioned within thecanopy 250, when assembled, the cap may reside outside of the canopy250. In some embodiments, portions of the housing 300 that are exposedto the interior of canopy 250 may be coated with a conductive layer inorder to improve the shielding effect of the canopy 250, and to reduceor minimize the penetration of radiations from the sensing device 310within the interior of the canopy 250. In some examples, the cap 306,which resides outside of the canopy 250, does not include any conductivematerial in order to facilitate the wireless transmission of data to andfrom the sensing device 310.

According to some embodiments, the sensing device 310 includes a camera,a microphone and speaker for providing audio in/out capabilities, and/ora carbon monoxide detector. The camera may be battery powered and mayhave night vision capabilities up to about 5 feet. The sensing device310 includes a wireless transceiver for enabling wireless communicationwith a remote device (e.g., a mobile handheld device) external to theprotective housing. The sensing device 310 may be wirelessly connectedto an app available on the remote device (e.g., a smartphone or tablet).The video from the camera may be transmitted (e.g., instantly streamed)to the remote device for display to a user, and the sensing device 310may be remotely controlled via the app. The audio capabilities mayinclude playing a number of pre-programmed audio files, such as whitenoise and calming nature sounds, which can also be remotely controlledvia the app. In some embodiments, the sensing device 310 includes amonitoring sensor configured to indicate to the user, via the app, whenthe canopy has been sufficiently closed and the desired EMF cancelationhas been achieved.

While this invention has been described in detail with particularreferences to exemplary embodiments thereof, the embodiments describedherein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of theinvention to the exact forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the art andtechnology to which this invention pertains will appreciate thatalterations and changes in the described structures and methods ofassembly and operation can be practiced without meaningfully departingfrom the principles, spirit, and scope of this invention, as set forthin the following claims and equivalents thereof.

It will be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second”,“third”, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements,components, regions, layers, and/or sections, these elements,components, regions, layers, and/or sections should not be limited bythese terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component,region, layer, or section from another element, component, region,layer, or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, orsection discussed below could be termed a second element, component,region, layer, or section, without departing from the spirit and scopeof the inventive concept.

Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “under”,“above”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease ofdescription to describe one element or feature's relationship to anotherelement(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will beunderstood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompassdifferent orientations of the device in use or in operation, in additionto the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the devicein the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or“beneath” or “under” other elements or features would then be oriented“above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example terms “below”and “under” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. Thedevice may be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at otherorientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein shouldbe interpreted accordingly. In addition, it will also be understood thatwhen a layer is referred to as being “between” two layers, it can be theonly layer between the two layers, or one or more intervening layers mayalso be present.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments and is not intended to be limiting of the inventive concept.As used herein, the singular forms “a” and “an” are intended to includethe plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “include”,“including”, “comprises”, and/or “comprising”, when used in thisspecification, specify the presence of stated features, steps,operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude thepresence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations,elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term“and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of theassociated listed items. Expressions such as “at least one of”, whenpreceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and donot modify the individual elements of the list. Further, the use of“may” when describing embodiments of the inventive concept refers to“one or more embodiments of the inventive concept”. Also, the term“exemplary” is intended to refer to an example or illustration.

It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to asbeing “on”, “connected to”, “coupled to”, or “adjacent to” anotherelement or layer, it can be directly on, connected to, coupled to, oradjacent to the other element or layer, or one or more interveningelements or layers may be present. When an element or layer is referredto as being “directly on”, “directly connected to”, “directly coupledto”, or “immediately adjacent to” another element or layer, there are nointervening elements or layers present.

As used herein, the terms “use”, “using”, and “used” may be consideredsynonymous with the terms “utilize”, “utilizing”, and “utilized”,respectively.

For the purposes of this disclosure, “at least one of X, Y, and Z” and“at least one selected from the group consisting of X, Y, and Z” may beconstrued as X only, Y only, Z only, or any combination of two or moreof X, Y, and Z, such as, for instance, XYZ, XYY, YZ, and ZZ.

Further, the use of “may” when describing embodiments of the inventiveconcept refers to “one or more embodiments of the inventive concept.”Also, the term “exemplary” is intended to refer to an example orillustration.

As used herein, the term “substantially,” “about,” and similar terms areused as terms of approximation and not as terms of degree, and areintended to account for the inherent variations in measured orcalculated values that would be recognized by those of ordinary skill inthe art. Further, a specific quantity or range recited in this writtendescription or the claims may also encompass the inherent variations inmeasured or calculated values that would be recognized by those ofordinary skill in the art.

The sensing device module and/or any other relevant devices orcomponents according to embodiments of the present invention describedherein may be implemented utilizing any suitable hardware, firmware(e.g. an application-specific integrated circuit), software, or asuitable combination of software, firmware, and hardware. For example,the various components of the sensing device may be formed on oneintegrated circuit (IC) chip or on separate IC chips. Further, thevarious components of the sensing device may be implemented on aflexible printed circuit film, a tape carrier package (TCP), a printedcircuit board (PCB), or formed on a same substrate. Further, the variouscomponents of the sensing device may be a process or thread, running onone or more processors, in one or more computing devices, executingcomputer program instructions and interacting with other systemcomponents for performing the various functionalities described herein.The computer program instructions are stored in a memory which may beimplemented in a computing device using a standard memory device, suchas, for example, a random access memory (RAM). The computer programinstructions may also be stored in other non-transitory computerreadable media such as, for example, a CD-ROM, flash drive, or the like.Also, a person of skill in the art should recognize that thefunctionality of various computing devices may be combined or integratedinto a single computing device, or the functionality of a particularcomputing device may be distributed across one or more other computingdevices without departing from the scope of the exemplary embodiments ofthe present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A protective housing for shielding againstelectro-magnetic field (EMF) radiation, the protective housingcomprising: a conductive mesh; and a frame coupled to the conductivemesh and configured to define a shape of conductive mesh, the framecomprising: a central body configured to be coupled to the conductivemesh; a plurality of support members coupled to and extending away fromthe central body; and a plurality of securing members coupled tocorresponding ones of the plurality of support members and configured tosecurely couple the frame to an object within an interior space of theconductive mesh.
 2. The protective housing of claim 1, wherein theconductive mesh is configured to shield an interior a canopy, as definedby the conductive mesh and the frame, against EMF radiation.
 3. Theprotective housing of claim 1, wherein the conductive mesh has a meshsize configured to permit the conductive mesh to be flexible to drapearound the object and to be breathable and see-through.
 4. Theprotective housing of claim 1, wherein the protective housing furthercomprises: a conductive plane at a base of the protective housing andconfigured to electrically couple to the conductive mesh and to be agrounding plane for the protective housing.
 5. The protective housing ofclaim 2, wherein the central body comprises: a housing; a sensing devicecoupled to the housing and configured to monitor the interior of thecanopy and to wirelessly communicate with a remote device external tothe protective housing.
 6. The protective housing of claim 5, whereinthe sensing device comprises a monitoring sensor configured to indicateto the remote device whether the canopy has been sufficiently closed toachieve a desired EMF cancelation.
 7. The protective housing of claim 5,wherein the housing comprises: a first portion; a second portionconfigured to accommodate the first portion; and a cap above the firstand second portions.
 8. The protective housing of claim 7, wherein theconductive mesh has an opening corresponding to the central body, andwherein the conductive mesh is coupled, at the opening, to the centralbody by being sandwiched, in part, between the first and second portionswhen the first and second portions are mated together.
 9. The protectivehousing of claim 7, wherein portions of the housing exposed to aninterior of the canopy comprise a conductive layer coating to reducepenetration of radiation from the sensing device within the interior ofthe canopy, and wherein the cap is located at an exterior of the canopyand does not include conductive material to facilitate wirelesstransmission of data to and from the sensing device.
 10. The protectivehousing of claim 7, wherein, when mated, the first and second portionsdefine a plurality of cavities configured to accommodate ends of theplurality of support members and to couple the plurality of supportmembers to the central body, and wherein each one of the supportingmembers comprises a joint configured to fit within a correspondingcavity of the plurality of cavities and is rotatably coupled to thecentral body.
 11. The protective housing of claim 10, wherein each ofthe plurality of support members further comprises a malleable legconfigured to move with respect to the joint and to facilitate anextension of length of said each of the plurality of support members.12. The protective housing of claim 7, wherein the housing furthercomprises: an optical dome configured to secure the sensing devicewithin the housing and to expose the interior of the canopy formonitoring by the sensing device, wherein the optical dome is coupled tothe second portion of the housing via a ring and a plurality offasteners.
 13. The protective housing of claim 1, wherein the conductivemesh is configured to drape over the plurality of support members. 14.The protective housing of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality ofsecuring members comprises: a main body having opposing lips protrudingaway from the main body and configured to surround a side of the object;and a fastening mechanism having a flat head configured to move betweenthe opposing lips and having an adjustable head configured to adjust aposition of the flat head between the opposing lips, wherein each of theplurality of securing members is configured to become fixedly coupled tothe side of the object in response to an adjustment of the adjustablehead, via a rotating tool, to clamp the side of the object between thelip of the opposing lips and the flat head.
 15. The protective housingof claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of securing members furthercomprises: a sleeve portion configured to encompass and couple to an endof a corresponding one of the plurality of supporting members, thesleeve portion being coupled to the main body via one or more screws.16. The protective housing of claim 15, wherein the end of thecorresponding one of the plurality of supporting members is moveablewith respect to the sleeve portion.
 17. The protective housing of claim14, wherein each of the plurality of securing members comprises: a clampbody; an overhanging telescopic hook extending from the clamp body andconfigured to engage a horizontal beam of the object; and a pair ofresilient arms extending laterally from opposing sides of the clamp bodyand configured to engage vertical bars of the object.
 18. The protectivehousing of claim 17, wherein each of the pair of resilient arms has aprotrusion of protrusions extending from a corresponding resilient armof pair of resilient arms in a direction orthogonal to an extensiondirection of the corresponding resilient arm, and wherein the pair ofresilient arms are configured to engage the vertical bars of the objectby apply opposing lateral forces against the vertical bars via theprotrusions.
 19. A protective housing for shielding againstelectro-magnetic field (EMF) radiation, the protective housingcomprising: a conductive mesh having an opening; and a frame configuredto be coupled to an object within an interior space of the protectivehousing, and comprising a central body configured to be fixedly coupledto the conductive mesh at the opening, the central body comprising: afirst portion at an exterior of a canopy defined by the conductive meshand the frame; and a second portion within an interior of the canopy, anexterior of the second portion facing the interior of the canopy havinga conductive coating electrically coupled to the conductive mesh,wherein the frame and the conductive mesh are configured to shield theinterior of the canopy against EMF radiation.
 20. The protective housingof claim 19, wherein the protective housing further comprises: aconductive plane at a base of the protective housing and configured tocouple to the conductive mesh and to be a grounding plane for theprotective housing.